


Too Long; Didn't Read

by Anonymous



Category: Vampire Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Arguing, Armand wants Lestat to think about him for once, Canon typical vampires being bad at relationships, Implied/Referenced Suicide attempt, Internet Famous, Lestat thinks he gets the internet, Lestat wants to be an internet celebrity, Living Together, Louis goes to therapy, Louis wants to live with the people he loves, M/M, Multiple Pov, Set after the last book so spoilers, and if not that then stop taking Louis away, bad relationship etiquette, hopefully they'll work it out, past depression, social distancing, unbetaed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:40:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28044816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Excerpt:I abdicated. It wasn’t supposed to be forever. Maybe it still isn’t forever. I could always go back. I would always be welcome. After all I’ve done, how could they refuse? But for now, I’m retired as The Prince. I’m doing the whole ‘self care’ thing.I posted a video on Youtube and realized what I should really be doing. Growing my popularity on the internet. Don’t say I’m shallow darlings. This is like meditation to me. Grounding.So I left Louis in Auvergne since I thought he was comfortable in the court. It was good for him you know. Surrounded by others born in darkness. Accepted and cherished as he should be. Free to read his books. Able to have discussions. I thought he was happy there.But no. I turn my back on him and he ends up in New York with the little demon. Oh Louis why do you always do this to me? Why is it always him?
Relationships: Armand/Lestat de Lioncourt, Armand/Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Point du Lac, Armand/Louis de Pointe du Lac, Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac
Comments: 3
Kudos: 29
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Hashtag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lestat learns that Louis is in New York with Armand and decides that self-isolating with his lover and his lover's boyfriend is the solution.

Im thinking of making an only fangs account

Onlyfans*

Hah onlyfangs! Brilliant. 🧛

Get it?

Cher <3

I should create onlyfangs. I could make an app

Louis txt me

Louiiiiiiiiiiiis

I don’t know what any of that is, Lestat. I hope it helps with your ‘influencing.’ 

If you do make one then send me the web address and I’ll follow you.

Cher im begging txt lik a normal person

Louis

Louis the reason it taks so lng 4 u to text is u add proper puncitiojfaos and gramer. 

Louis I’m begging. 

Where r u right now? Auvergne still?

Louis. Type. Faster.

New York.

**Lestat**

Two words. New York. 

New York, New York.

Louis was supposed to still be in France. In my mind he was still safely tucked away in France, among the colourful vibrant court. My former court. 

That’s right, the Vampire Lestat has abdicated in the name of democracy. Democracy and tedium. There’s only so long I can be a pretty figurehead before going insane.

No, Lestat, you might say. You were never a figurehead. You were a leader! I was, wasn’t I? But what was the point of leading when the ones you love get put in jeopardy for it. When the blame is always on your head for the right or the wrong decisions. The constant target on your back. The constant meetings.

Constant meetings. 

I abdicated. It wasn’t supposed to be forever. Maybe it still isn’t forever. I could always go back. I would always be welcome. After all I’ve done, how could they refuse? But for now, I’m retired as The Prince. I’m doing the whole ‘self care’ thing. 

I posted a video on Youtube and realized what I should really be doing. Growing my popularity on the internet. Don’t say I’m shallow darlings. This is like meditation to me. Grounding.

So I left Louis in Auvergne since I thought he was comfortable in the court. It was good for him you know. Surrounded by others born in darkness. Accepted and cherished as he should be. Free to read his books. Able to have discussions. I thought he was happy there. 

But no. I turn my back on him and he ends up in New York with the little demon. Oh Louis why do you always do this to me? Why is it always him? 

It is a sore point. As much as Louis and I forgive each other our tresspassses Armand is a sore point and a jealousy. I know what you might say my dears. How selfish can you be? Isn’t love free? Don’t you yourself adore Armand as much as he might annoy you. Don’t you run off with pretty faces and interesting characters every other week? So why can’t Louis have his own dalliances? Why can’t he run off with beautiful strangers? Fall in love and out of it? 

It isn’t that he can’t. I’m not really the jealous type--alright. In his case I am really the jealous type, but I wouldn’t really take it to heart if it was with other people. With strangers. With other vampires. But it’s always Armand, and so I always wonder why. Why is it that when Louis isn’t with me he goes back to him? 

So when I saw New York was his answer I headed straight to where Armand was holed knowing that was where I would find my Louis. 

I hadn’t intended for this to be more than a social call. A booty call you might say. You see I was happily in my Californian mansion looking through replies and comments on my latest video and someone had asked about him, my beautiful one, my heart.

My band had been far more mainstream and my mythos isn’t as widespread now, but there are people who put the strings together. They asked me if I was still ‘with’ Louis. As if I have ever not been with Louis.

I don’t mean by geography. We’re apart more than we’re together, but a quarter of my 260 years has had him in it. He’s my other half. I really should propose but I’m worried he might say no. He still has hang ups from his religious upbringing. Marriage in his mind is a religious act he doesn’t want to be a part of. 

How do the children say it? Being gay but also homophobic? 

I don’t mean he’s actually homophobic. He is definitly gay though. I wonder if me awaking that in him was a bigger shock than the dark gift.

I digress. 

Louis was mentioned and my fans asked the commenter who I was talking about. They all got very excited at the idea that I had a boyfriend. Or my persona does. They think I’m pretending to be me which is both convenient and frustrating at times. The claim is I’m ‘kinning,’ but I’m canon baby! 

But in bringing him up he was in my mind again. My Louis. We have been texting this last month. A sweet gesture from him considering Louis is basically a luddite. I bought him a kindle that gathered dust on top of a pile of books. He called gifs gifts until Viktor corrected him. I wish he hadn’t it was an adorable quirk. 

We had been chatting. Mostly me throwing memes at him to see his adorable reactions. It got less fun when he found out there was a website to explain them to him and stopped replying with so many soft little “I don’t know what this means, Lestat.” When he got wise I started going more abstract. It was a fun game. 

So the fans brought him up, which reminded me how lovely it is to be in his presence and touch him and kiss him and casually I asked where he was. I was thinking perhaps a visit was in order. Maybe I could pull him for a night on the town. Take him out of the castle to Paris or London or Prague. The streets would be empty with the virus, but we were free to roam. Date night. 

But he didn’t say Auvergne or Paris or New Orleans. He said New York. 

Which meant Armand. 

Which meant … I don’t really know what it meant. I suppose it meant I had to be in New York. 

So I got to Armand’s apartment, broke through security, and made sure to silence myself so that they wouldn’t hear. 

“If you prefer me to be here with you I won’t say no.” My Louis’s voice was soft with a quiet reassurance and I felt a terrible jealousy bubble. Sour green vinegar in my veins. 

“And if Lestat desperately needs you?” Armand asked coldly. 

Who exactly is desperate? I wanted to bare fangs at him. But I’m classy. I pushed in through the door sauntering in to show off my best features. Ripped jeans, a tight vintage Vampire Lestat t-shirt, red leather jacket, golden hair in a casual looking man bun. Artlessly beautiful. Carefully done up. Casual, like I was expected. Like I owned the place. I might have abdicated, but I’m still The Prince. 

Both of them looked to me, surprised at my entrance. Louis had a little helpless wrinkle in his brow as if trying to process my timing. Armand looked somewhat disgusted. I felt my own ripple of disgust. They were on the couch together, cozy and cuddled. Long, slender Louis curled up with his head on the imp’s lap, his inky black hair spilling down, a book on his thigh, jewel-like eyes directed at me. Armand’s red curls pulled back in an easy pointy tail. His round cheeks were still red from feeding. Fingers tangled in a bit of Louis’ hair. They looked like a pair of beautiful young mortals having an evening in. 

“We’re social distancing.” Armand said dismissively. With no irony at how they had twisted their bodies together. 

And they call me the brat. 

“I have a mask,” I replied with false brightness. I pulled up my mask that had vampire fangs printed on it. It was new merch I was thinking of selling. 

“And,” I added, “We’re vampires.” 

“Lestat,” Louis has this way of saying my name. Loving and scolding. I’ve been naughty, but he still adores me. “You didn’t knock.”

Ah, really the height of rudeness. My Louis still has his old fashion politeness after two centuries. 

“You know I love to make an entrance, cher.” 

“You do.” Louis shook his head, what to do with me he must wonder. But I was wondering the same thing. What to do with him. My beautiful Louis in the living room of another man. My ‘frenemy.’ 

Armand always says he loves me, but then he takes my Louis away. Is it for attention? 

They untangled themselves and sat up properly. I sauntered to the couch collapsing handsomely and pointedly between them, taking a quick selfie since I did look good in the light. Indignation suits me. 

“Make yourself at home.” Armand said, deadpan. 

I grinned viciously. 

“Are you snaptexting?” Louis asked. His disapproval was clear and he was on the edge of moving from passive to passive-aggressive. 

“Chatting, mon coeur. And no. I don’t snapchat.” It was too ephemeral for my tastes. Tiktok works better for that sort of online interaction.

I moved my arm to lay on Louis’ shoulder. I ignored the imp who was staring forward completely impassive.

“I’m in California right now.”

“You mentioned.”

“You never mentioned New York.”

“You never asked until today.” With that he glanced at Armand and they shared a look between each other. I tugged a bit so their eye contact was broken.

“It’s dreary in New York this time of year.” I said.

“I’m only going out to hunt.”

“Oh?”

“We really are social distancing,” He said. 

“What on earth for, Louis? We’re vampires.” 

“We don’t know if we can spread it yet.”  
“Fareed said it’s fine.”

“Fareed said it’s  _ probably  _ fine.” 

“So I’ll have to isolate too,” I said suddenly. 

Armand finally moved. His amber eyes flickered. 

“You have a guest room, right?” I felt deviousness rise. “I have traveled after all.” 

“Several.” Armand said lightly.

“See? Perfect!” I put my other arm around him as if it was all decided, breaking apart their little love nest while we’re stuck in the house together was just the thing. I expected some sort of protest.

“Armand?” Louis asked.

“He can do as he pleases.” He stood. “He always does.” 

“Then it’s settled.” Louis nodded. He leaned against me head on my shoulder, brought his book back up from the side table and began to read.

Wait. What?

Was that a power move? Shouldn’t there be an argument? I was expecting a fight. I was gearing up for one. I wanted one so that afterwards I could ravage him after we’ve made up and left the little imp behind us. 

“I’ll get a room ready for you,” Armand said, also not showing any protest. What the hell was going on? Were they mentally talking behind my back? I looked between them narrowing my eyes, but there was no indication of it. Louis wasn’t good at hiding it. His expressive face would always react when there was someone whispering in his mind. 

You have no idea how much I wish I could do it to him. The filthy things I would say to make those pale cheeks blush. 

After a moment alone with my gorgeous beau I took out my phone. Two could play at the normalcy game. I tweeted out that I was in self isolation with my bebe staying with him and his ‘roommate’ for the next few weeks. Hot pics to follow, winky face. 

I pointed my camera at Louis. He was looking down at his book, but his face was at an exquisite angle, the warm light softening his paleness, his long black hair covering part of his features, shining green eyes just visible underneath fanlike eyelashes. 

**mon petite bookworm. #nofilter**

My twitter was instantly filled with appreciative reblogs and comments. Rivers of hearts and book emoticons along with the combination of “fuck” “hot boi” “gorgeous” “king” and “cute!” 

I felt very smug in the moment. Louis wouldn’t like it. His profile pictures were of stockphoto sunrises. He didn’t put his face online, but I was still annoyed with him and our non-argument and it made me petty. 

After my revenge photo I settled back on the couch, my fingers idly playing with his hair out of habit. 

“Why did you leave France?” I asked. It could have been a few minutes or an hour. I expected that he had grown tired of courtly life. Having people around is good for Louis, but he starts drifting after awhile.

“You weren’t there.” He answered, not looking up from his book. 

That gave me pause, my heart fluttering at the sentiment, but it soured just as quickly. 

“I wasn’t in New York either,” I pointed out. 

He turned the page. He still read slowly, just a little faster than an average mortal speed. He raised one hand and gently stroked my head, his bright eyes peeked up at me. He was being very gentle with me, refusing to rise to my bait. He bit his lip, seriously considering his reply.

“Armand asked.” 

“Oh is that all it takes with you? If I had called you up and told you to meet me in California you would have flown over?”

“Probably,” He blinked. He tilted his head. “Lestat, sometimes I don’t know if you want me around or not.”

I stiffened. “What is that supposed to mean?” Maybe we would fight after all. 

“You left France without a word after clinging to me for a month after you thought I had--”

“Don’t.” 

I didn’t want to think about that. I didn’t want to relive that. 

“You left without a word and abdicated your throne in a youtube video. You only started texting me a month ago.” 

“So?”

“So I went to New York.” 

“So this is supposed to be a punishment.” 

He frowned, hurt reflected in those gorgeous eyes. “Non,” his accent always comes out more clearly when he’s upset even after decades of living in other places. “But you…” He shifted now to face me properly and perhaps put space between us. “ _ You _ left, Lestat.” 

And--I had. I had. I left him alone in court without a word. Straight to California with dreams in my heart. I resigned my position in a youtube video. Marius was furious. Many of the court tried to persuade me to stay and ask me what I was doing. Louis didn’t. He would like my posts on social media, but I hadn’t heard from him until I texted him a picture that reminded me of him. A pure black rose with a green butterfly delicately perched.

“You never reached out.” I said. “You never come to me, I always have to find you, and it seems I always find you with Armand.” The real issue.

“Was I supposed to?” He asked. 

“The others all did.”

“And you blocked their calls.”

“But I wouldn’t block yours.” 

“I don’t--” he genuinely seemed upset with how the conversation was going. “How am I supposed to  _ know _ that, Lestat?”

“Why don’t you ever bother trying?” I countered.

He stood, walking away from me. Of course. I opened my mouth about to shoot vitriol, but he stopped suddenly. As if he had a sudden realization. 

He said: “I need some time to think before I can continue this conversation.” 

“What?” What?

“But I do think we need to continue it. I just need time to process. I still love you.”

“What?” What??

“Is that alright?” 

I sputtered. Is that alright? “I… sure. Fine.” 

“Thank you. I appreciate your patience.”

And then he walked into his room. 

What just happened? 

I was left in the living room alone trying to comprehending the bizarre end to the fight. Usually Louis would tense. Get up and leave without a word and I would follow him continuing the argument because he can’t just walk away from me like that! 

But this time… he just… 

‘I still love you.’ 

“It’s ready for you. The blinds automatically close a half hour before sunrise.” Armand had naturally appeared right after Louis left. 

“Are you sharing a room with Louis?” 

“I’m sharing an apartment with Louis. Why does this bother you so much?” He was blunt and not willing to be soft like my Louis is. Armand might as well be a porcupine a cute creature that jabs you in the wrong place. 

He crossed his arms. “Do you really dislike me that much, Lestat?” 

“It’s not about you, Imp.”

“Then perhaps you might consider that it isn’t about you either.” 

“That doesn’t even make sense!” 

He rolled his eyes. “Sleep well, Lestat.” 

And he went to his room as well. Not, I was relieved to see, the same room Louis entered.

I went back to my twitter feed. More hearts and even a few aubergine. I almost deleted the post in a huff but caught sight of the picture again.

Well if I was to be here for the next few weeks I would need some things to maintain my online presence. I started loading items into my online cart. 


	2. Too Long

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armand thinks about his relationship with Louis.

**Armand**

I lay gazing at the lid of my coffin as the sun rose. I quietly contemplated the situation I had found myself in. Two weeks worth of Lestat in a mood. I’ve suffered worse for longer I suppose. 

Lestat had always been a hard subject to think of. The amount of time I’ve yearned and pinned for him embarresses me. He has spurned, denied and abandoned me, and yet I am always drawn. A moth to a flickering candle of disaster. 

You may believe Louis is a representation of my jealousies, my vengeance, my resentments. I’d be lying if I said that has never been the effect of our love, but it’s always unintentional. Our relationship has never been about Lestat. Maybe that’s what frustrated him about it. 

If Lestat is my flaming burning passion of desire then Louis is the cooling balm of tenderness. I have been jealous of many of Lestat’s other paramours in the past, but Louis hadn’t been Lestat’s when I had met him. I didn’t know his backstory. I didn’t know his maker. He was just a dark-haired beauty who evoked in me a quiet desire, a feeling of safety. Louis felt like home, although I didn’t realize that then. 

I should have realized Lestat could even ruin this. 

I felt a shock of excitement all those years ago. Opening the door and Lestat standing before me, even looking wretched as he did my heart pounded. The ridiculous things I had thought before I realized the reality of it. That he could ever be here for me. That I could introduce him to Louis and we might enter the new age together. I even had a spare thought for Claudia. Surely Lestat would love and pity a creature made like her. 

How foolish. Of course this would be Lestat’s childe. Of course he would make a little girl into a vampire. Of course she would then try to murder him. 

I’ve explained myself in other places.I will speak no more of Claudia. 

When he stood at the door he came not for me, but for my blood and his own selfish desire. 

Let him rot and I will go with Louis I had decided. 

If he had only wanted to see me perhaps it could have been all of us together I bitterly thought in my guiltier moments when he was moldering reading cheap detective novels.

Seducing Louis had nothing to do with Lestat. It never has. When I met Louis he evoked a tenderness and stability that I had no right to. He looked at me how I had always wanted to be looked at. He spoke to me in a way I had always wanted to be spoken to. And there was no baggage in the beautiful time before Lestat had shown up at my door. We were just… compatible. 

I don’t know why after learning the truth I didn’t resent him for being able to catch Lestat’s eye. Maybe it’s because I understand loving Louis. How easy it is. Just like how it’s easy to fall for Lestat. I don’t resent Lestat for his relationship to Louis either which I’m sure is a surprise as well to anyone that thinks they know me. Lestat has long been a source of sourness in my heart. But loving Louis, I think that’s the one aspect of Lestat that always made sense to me. 

Louis has mentioned that Lestat and I have similarities. This was before the Court. When Benji and Sybelle and Louis and I formed a little family for ten years. The two of us had spoken a lot. We defined our relationship then. 

“The bad aspects,” I said in reply to the off hand comparison. That was not the first time the two of us were put side by side. The egotism, the impulsiveness, the controlling, the immaturity, the goddamn neediness. 

“A few,” He conceded. “But many of the good. When you fall in love you love wholly. When you find something to protect you do so with all your heart.” 

“And we both care for you a great deal.” I say. I didn’t say love out loud because those days it would have hurt too much if he didn’t return the sentiment. I couldn’t read his mind as clearly as I used to with the ancient blood in his veins after his suicide attempt. 

He gave me one of his contented smiles, but I said, because I have to try and ruin every relationship I have:

“But it makes sense why you come back to me, if I’m so much like him.”

He lost that cherished smile, concern in his eyes. 

I have never been jealous of Louis and Lestat. I only envied that I could not be what they are to each other. I had always accepted that Louis wasn’t really mine. From the moment the name Louis touched Lestat’s lips I knew that.

“I come to you because you are Armand. Not because you remind me of Lestat,” Louis said firmly. “Lestat doesn’t have any bearing on my feelings towards you.” 

“I was your rebound, wasn’t I?” I self-mocked. 

“Armand, do you really think this?” He asked me. 

“I did read your book you know.”

“Daniel’s book about a conversation I had when I was depressed and bitter and alone? That book?” 

I shrugged. “You could have killed Daniel.” But I don’t really mean it and he knows I don’t. 

“Armand. Count the years. It’s true we weren’t always happy together, but I have lived with you almost as long as I have lived with Lestat. If you were a pale copy of him do you really think I could stand it? You were my first…” 

I looked at him unsure what he could possibly say.

“My first real friend in this life,” He finally said, his voice soft, achingly soft. “Lestat and I had been too intense in those days to be friends. He was maker and lover and tormentor and salvation. Claudia was my heart and family. But with you it was just… easy companionship for a long time. And it’s like that again now. I don’t have to wonder and worry if you care about me. I’m sorry if you wondered if I cared about you. I do. Deeply. I love you. Even in life I never had such a close friend as I do in you.”

You might think his use of friend here just confirmed my fears. That I had just been ‘friendzoned’ as Lestat might say. But consider the amount of lovers in this web of blood. Romance creates the vampire. Marius turned me for that kind of love, I turned Daniel for it. Lestat turned Louis for it. How rare genuine friendship is for us. We don’t turn our friends, most of us never even had friends in life to begin with. That’s why we were such good victims. Romantic lonely vampires all of us. 

So that Louis declared that our relationship was based on a deep friendship that developed and also became romantic, and realizing he was right eased me and I finally understood our feelings. There were more conversations, but that was the important one. 

I laughed at myself. Thinking these things. A long winding mess of complex lingering feelings to say that I love them both. That Louis and I love each other. That I understand that just because he loves Lestat it doesn’t mean he loves me less. And that I am willing to let him go to Lestat when they both need it, but that I still feel a pain for Lestat’s rejections of me and a longing when Louis leaves my side. 

How would the children say that now? TL;DR?

TL;DR: I’m not the one keeping Lestat from Louis, but as usual I am being blamed when Lestat has no one to blame but himself. 

“This is ridiculous!”

Speak of the devil.

**Author's Note:**

> So I haven't read the Vampire Chronicles in their entirety for awhile so I might get some points wrong. I was just thinking that Lestat really was made for the internet while also thinking about Louis and Armand's relationship.


End file.
